18.3.1 Experience

(See also HELP GROUPS. Notes on group sharing of experience included below.)

Experience - what is it, how do you get it?


Experience Defined
------------------
Experience is a way to describe how capable you are as an adventurer. As you
live and act in the realms, you will typically find things to do that will
produce experience (or xp) for you. Do them and you get xp.


Experience, among other things
-----------------------------
Experience is only one way in which adventurers grow. Others are:
- Learning skills (see HELP LEARNING).
- Obtaining licenses in crafting, bookmaking, etc (see HELP LICENSES).
- Attaining to power through rank and positions in houses or cities.
- Acquiring rare and powerful artefacts (HELP ARTEFACTS).
- Gaining ranks in
  - combat (HELP COMBAT RANKINGS),
  - exploration (HELP EXPLORATION), and
  - riddles (HELP RIDDLES), among others.


Levels of Experience
--------------------
As you gain xp (experience) you will gain new levels of experience. At the
start, you are "level 1." As you gain xp, your level will also rise. The names
and descriptions of these levels is in HELP
LEVELLIST.


Ways to Gain Experience
-----------------------
Quests and Combat are the primary ways to gain xp.


Experience from Quests
----------------------
Experience is gained in a variety of ways. By performing little (or big!) tasks
for denizens of the realms. We call these tasks quests (HELP QUESTS). Find
quests, perform them, and gain experience. Quests are rarely violent, and often
quite complex and challenging. More than one Achaean adventurer has spent an
entire career, and a very successful one at that, gaining experience ONLY by
means of quests.


Denizen Combat
--------------
Another way to gain experience is to enter mortal combat with denizens of the
realms. This carries with it the risk of your own demise, which would also
include a reduction in experience.


Adventurer Killing, also known as PK
------------------------------------
Yet another way to gain experience is to enter mortal combat versus other
adventurers. This may not seem all that much different from combat against
denizens, but it is! This activity, called PK for short, is more restricted,
you'll be expected to have a valid reason for attacking another player (see
HELP PK). Killing another player or letting another player kill you solely for
the purpose of gaining experience or other forms of renown is not permitted.


Groups and Experience
---------------------
When you follow others, or others follow you, your group shares in the benefits
of any combat entered into by any member. The sharing is proportional to the
level of experience of each adventurer. See also HELP GROUPS.


Experience Boosts
-----------------
A number of things in Achaea will increase your experience gain. The DEFENCES command will show your total of your experience bonus percentage.

You can see exactly what is affecting your experience gain with the following command:

XPBONUSES

(See also HELP GROUPS)